From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section provides a good description of the events of 1893-1894, including the reasons for the boycott of Pullman cars, the people involved, and how the...

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes President Grover Cleveland's role in sending federal troops to suppress the Pullman boycott, resulting in increased chaos from the...

This article from the Encyclopedia of Chicago explains how a strike by railroad workers in West Virginia eventually made its way to Chicago and was taken up by workers from many industries. See how city officials resolved this general...

In the era of big business and business tycoons in the late 19th century, John D. Rockefeller held a very high position. Read about how he thwarted an attempt by two railroad owners to keep Rockefeller from controlling all the oil...

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes how George Pullman amassed a fortune making specialized rail cars. He then decided to build a town for his labor force, one that was very...

This map reveals the way ownership of the Union Pacific concentrated in New England and New York. It also shows how the West got a federally financed railroad, and the east got the insider networks which controlled it.

An extraordinarily rich collection of photos, stereographs, engravings, maps, and documents. Many 19th century accounts of building and traveling on the railroad, plus travel guides and government documents.

In April of 1999, Representative John T. Doolittle delivered a speech before the United States House of Representatives commemorating the contribution of Chinese-Americans to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. This site...

In-depth look at the ceremony at Promontory Point upon the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The author discusses the preparation for the ceremony, the use of four ceremonial spikes, and what became of them. From an article in...

A discussion of the railroad strike of 1877 as it affected particularly Illinois. Read about how the strikes were put down violently and who was blamed for the work stoppages.

This article written by Peter E. Palmquist describes the photographs taken by Albert A. Hart as he documented the building of the Central Pacific Railroad and then helped publicize it.

Read the history of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, how it affected the railroads, and the additions made to it over many years.

A biography of Granville T. Woods, who used his knowledge of machinery to establish his own company and invent many different improvements for the railroad.

The Underground Railroad of the 1800's inspired talented writers of all ages. This lesson will integrate some of these famous writings to encourage students to develop their questioning techniques for analysis of literature while...

This resource, a speech by Woodrow Wilson to Congress on April 8, 1913, gives a great review of how the United States transformed from from a rural country to an urban one. It includes a review of industrialization, new inventions,...

An explanation of how the Kansa-Nebraska Act in effect voided the Missouri Compromise, which had been the law that dictated the territories that could allow slavery. Read about the act proposed by Stephen A. Douglas, and see how a...

Between 1820 and 1860, the visual map of the United States was transformed by unprecedented urbanization and rapid territorial expansion, facilitated by the railroad system. These changes mutually fueled the Second Industrial Revolution...

This page is a chapter from the book entitled "The Americans in Panama". This page provides an excellent narration of significant events which occurred during the "independence" period of Panamanian history.

Encyclopedia Britannica provides a biography of Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), an escaped slave from Maryland who later became one of the Underground Railroad's most famous "Conductors."

A history of transportation technologies, and the individuals who led the way in developing and advancing new modes of transportation.

Look in depth at the Gilded Age of history in the United States. Find resources enhancing lessons of immigration, industrialization, railroads, Native Americans, and politics.

Describes the weaponry used during the Civil War, and some of the innovative technology that the Union's military forces employed. These included the minie ball, rifles, underwater torpedoes, the use of hot air balloons, and improved...

By 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was elected president, 16 percent of the population lived in urban areas and a third of the nation's income came from manufacturing. Funds were flowing into large-scale industrial development and into...

This personal site provides a wealth of ideas regarding the Civil War Era. Look for lesson ideas about the events leading up to the war, the Civil War, the Underground Railroad, and the Reconstruction Era.